Torque converter fluid supply system



Feb. 15, 1955 1-. IAVELLI EI'AL 2,701,948

'roaqus comm FLUID SUPPLY svs'rsu Filed Aug. 8, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I! Terra fare; zi A [11,1185]; .Z'd'yrar E- I z I. y 0M2 TORQUE CONVERTER FLUID SUPPLY SYSTEM 4 Sheetw-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 8. 1952 INV TORS. Terra fire/2 1 l my)? .2 Syrary. BY lIafl B. C'aufure.

' E H HM "TOR/V"! Feb. 15, 1955 'r. IAVELLI ETAL TORQUE couvsarsa nun: SUPPLY svs'rsu 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filud Aug. 8, 1952 ITTORIIII'S Feb. 15, 1955 T. IAVELLI ETAL 2,701,948

TORQUE CONVERTER FLUID SUPPLY SYSTEM Filed Aug. 8, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 i l a I 7&210 .Z'

United States Patent Oflice Patented Feb. 15, 1955 2,701,948 TORQUE FLUID SUPPLY SYSTEM Application August a, 1952., SeriflNo. 303,442 s Claims. CI. 60-12 This invention relates to engine driven fluid operated power transmitting units and particularly to means for circulating the engine lube oil through the associated power transmitting unit as the worlting nuid of said power unit.

it is a primary object of this invention to provide an engine driven nuid operated power transmitting unlt wherein pressurized engine lube oil is circulated through and forms the working fluid of the power transmitting unit.

lt is another object of this invention to provide means for circulating the engine lube oil through the associated fluid operated power transmitting unit wherein the power transmitting unit has fluid flow control means to insure that the working fluid of the power transmitting unit will be pressurized.

it is still another object of this invention to provide novel means for connecting an engine lube or! system with the interior of an associated fluid operated power transmitting unit.

it is a further object of this invention to provide a novel means for eliminating certain elements from an engine driven fluid operated power transmitting system by arranging certain other elements such that they perform dual functions.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent from a reading of the following description of this invention and a consideration of the related drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of a motor vehicle power plant and the associated power transmitting equipment;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional elevattonal view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the rear end of the engine;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional elevational view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, sectional elevations} view show ing the interior of the fluid power transnuthng umt;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the rear side of the adapter plate;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view taken along the line 66 of Fig. 5 showing portions of the adapter plate oil transfer passages;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevatlonal view looking at the rear side of the fluid power transmitting unit housing; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevational view that shows in a single plane the conduit means for returning the engine lubricating oil from the fluid power transmitting unit to the engine.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows an engine E that includes a rotatable camshaft 10 having gearing 11 that is adapted to drive a combination pump and distributor rotor shaft 12. The distributor 13 is mounted on the upper end of shaft 12 while the engine lubricating oil circulating pump 14 is mounted on the lower end of shaft 12. Pump 14 is connected to the lube oil supply sump 16 through a strainer element 17. It is thought to be obvious that during operation of the engine E the camshaft 10 will drive pump shaft 12 and cause the pump unit 14 to withdraw lube oil from the sump 16 and discharge it under pressure to the lube oil supply duct 18.

Bolted to the rear end 21 of the engine E is an adapter plate 22. The adapter plate 22 is substantially a flat disc having a plurality of bolt receiving apertures 23 spaced cilcumferentially about its periphery (see Fig. 5). Plate flalsoineludesapairofdrilledpassagesls and that each extend inwardly through the plate from the plate outer peripheral edge towards the center thereof. The purpose or the drilled passages 25 and 26 Will become readily apparent trom the subsequent description or this invention. '1 he adapter plate 23 has a u-shaped opening 2! cut out of its lower portion to rovide a slotto receive the rear end or the cranxshat't 3 of the engine E.

Mounted against the rear race of the adapter late 22 and secured to the rear end ll of the engine 0 the bolts 31 is the huid power transmitting unit B. wer transmitting unit B in this instance is a hydrodynamic torque converter although t'orpurposcs of this invention it might be a two element fluid coupling or any similar type of fluid 0 rated power device. The power transmi unit B comprises a housing of dished cross sectional configuration that has rotatably mounted therein the torque converter unit 40. The torque converter unit 40 comprises a casing 41 having hub portions 42 that are drlvingly connected by bolts 43 to the rear end of the engine crankshaft 30 (see Fig. 4). Casing 41 has fixed thereto the vaned impeller member 44 of the torque converter unit. Arranged ad acent the pellet member 44 is the vaned turolne member 45.

urblne memoer 45 is connected by rivets 46 to a flange on a hub member 47 that is drivmgly connected to the driven shaft 48. Driven shaft 48 has its trout end poruon piloted in the converter casing portion In that is countersunlt in the rear end of the engine crankshatt 30. An intermediate portion or driven shaft 4 is ournaled in the ball bearln assembly 49 that is seated in the housing 35'. housing 3 also mounts an axially extending sleeve 51 that supports at its tree end the one-way crane devices 52. Rotatanly mounted on the one-way crane devices 52 are a pair of vaned guide or reaction wheels 53 and 54 respectively. The tunction of the guide wheels 53, 5'4 in the closed toroidal nuid now circuit of the torque converter unit 40 is thought to be obvious and to not require further explanation.

Mounted at the rear of the fluid power transmitting unit it is a friction clutch device C. Clutch device comprises a housing 61 that is connected to the housing 35 ot' the fluid power transmitting unit B by the bolts 61. Mounted within the clutch housing 61 are the driving and driven elements of the clutch C. The driving element of clutch C includes the backing plate 63, that is drlvtngly connected to the driven shaft 48, and the associated pressure plate 64 that is carried by the backing plate 63. The driven element of the clutch C comprises the clutch disc 65 that is carried by the output shaft 66 and arranged to be clampingly engaged between the aforementioned backing and pressure plates 63 and 64 respectively. Clutch C is of conventional construction and further description is not considered necessary particularly in view of the fact that this invention is not directly concerned with the clutch C or its manner of operation. Clutch C may have its output shaft 66 connected to a change speed transmission unit '1 (see Fig. l l or it may a: iliikrectly connected to a propeller or drive shaft or Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the rear end of the engine camshaft 10 is journaled in the rear end of the engine block. Also, arranged beside the camshaft 10 and extending substantially parallel thereto are a pair of lube oil circulating galleries 68 and 69 respectively. The gallery 68 in this instance is the lube oil supply gallery and is connected to the supply conduit 18 while the gallery 69 is arranged to return lube oil to the engine lube oil supply sump 16. The use of the pump discharge conduit 18 and the lube oil supply and return galleries 68, 69 in the circulation of oil through the torque converter unit 40 will become readily apparent from the following description.

The adapter plate 22 is so designed that when it is mounted on the rear side 21 of the engine block E, the oil transfer passage 25 of plate 22 is connected to the engine lube oil pump discharge conduit 18 and the oil transfer passage 26 in plate 22 is connected to the engine lube oil I return gallery 69 (see Figs. 3, 4, and

8 From a consideration of Fig. 4 articulariy, it will be noted that the housing 35 for e fluid power trans- 3 mitting unitBisfiercedbyapairofcoanectedboies or passages 71, 7 that are arranged to be counectible wi the lube oil supply passage 25 in the adapter ggite 22. Passage 72 in housing 85 is connected to a re 73 that transmits the lube oil from dpassage 72 through a necked down portion 74 of the riven shaft 48 to a tgort 75 in the fixed housing sleeve 51. Fluid assing rough port 75 is directed through a passag: 6 in the torque converter guide wheel hub portion into the fluid circuit within the converter casing 41. The fluid entering the converter interior through passage 76 is circulated around the interior from the im Her 44 to the turbine 45 and back to the 'de whee s 53, 54 as indicated by the arrows. As a ditional fluid is pumped into the converter interior fluid leaves the converter circuit throuith the passage 77 in the hub portion 53a of the guide wheel 53. Fluid leaving the converter interior through passage 77 is directed through a slot formed by an omitted tooth in the splined connection 78 at the front end of shaft 48 and is passed into a bore 79 that extends axially along the driven shaft 48. Shaft bore 79 is necked down to provide a valve seat to receive the ball valve 80. Ball valve is a spring pressed, one-way valve that is set to maintain approximately 20 p. s. i. pressurized fluid in the converter and en ine lube oil system. Valve 80 thus maintains a certain pressure in the engine lube oil system during all engine operation even though the en ine lub oil is pumped through the converter. This ball valve 80 also prevents drainage of the fluid from the converter when the engine is not running and thus the converter always has sufficient fluid therein, on initial engine start. to transmit drive. The driven shaft bore 79 on the downstream or discharge side of the valve 80 is connected to a restriction passage 82. Restriction passage 82 restricts the discharge flow from the converter and as this restriction is on the discharge side of the converter it applies the full pressure of pump 14 to the fluid circulated within the converter. It has been found that pressurizina the converter with the full pressure of the engine lube oil circulating pump has very definite advantages in that the torque multiplication ratio may be raised and the stall speed lowered over a similar arrangement wherein the restriction passage is located on the intake side of the converter unit. However. it is to be considered within the scope of this invention to place the restriction 82 at any point in the fluid circulating system regardless of whether the converter unit works under pressurized fluid or not.

The restriction passage 82 in driven shaft 48 (see Figs. 4 and 8) connects with a discharge bore 85 that is formed in the housing 35 of the fluid power transmitting unit B. Discharae bore 85 is connected to certain other housina contained conduit passa es 86 and 87 that return the converter circulated fluid to the adapter plate 22. Return passa es 86, 87 of the housing 35 are arranged such that the passage 87 connects with the passage 26 in the adapter plate 22. As previously mentioned the adapter plate passage 26 is connected to the lube oil return gallery 69.

From the above description of the several fluid flow conduit means it is thought to be apparent that the engine driven lube oil circulating pump 14 withdraws lube oil from the sump l6 and discharges it under ressure through the conduits 18, 25, 71, 72, 73, 74, $5, 76 into the converter toroidal circuit. The fluid in the toroidal circuit of the converter is maintained under the pressure of the pump 14 as a result of the one-way valve 80 and the restriction orifice 82 both of which are located on the discharge side of the converter unit. Fluid that is passed through the converter toroidal circuit discharges therefrom by way of conduits 77. 78, 79. 80. 82, 85, 86. 87. 26 back to the engine oil gallery 69 that returns the lube oil to the engine lube oil supply sump 16. Discharge from the return gallery 69 to the sump 16 is preferablv below the level of the fluid in the sump to prevent frothing and loss of the fluid by vaporization of the hot oil during extreme operating conditions such as during towing, pushing or mountain climbing. Briefly stated the converter fluid circuit is from the engine driven pump 14 to the converter unit 48 and through the converter unit 40 back to the engine lube oil supply sump 16.

With the arrangement described it is possible to eliminate the usual torque converter fluid circulating pump and utilize the existing engine lube oil circulating pump for both lube oil circulation and torque converter fluid circulation. Furthermore, the few structural changes required to utilize the engine lube oil circulating pump for this dual function are simple and economical and for that reason this invention is particularly attractive to the motor vehicle industry.

We claim:

1. In combination, an engine and a fluid operated power transmitting unit drivingly connected thereto, said engine includ ng a lube oil sump, an engine driven engine lubricating oil circulating pump connected to said sump and first conduit means connecting said pump to various portions of said en ne tqxrovide for the application of pressurized lubep to sm portions of said engine, said wer transmitting unit comprising a housing directy mounted on said engine having a pair of fluid transmitting passa s extendin therethrough, one of said fluid transmitting passages eing connected to said pump through said engine and the other of said passages being connected to said sump through said engine, a cam within said housing containing relatively rotatable, vane driving and driven elements, a second conduit means connecting said one fluid transmitting passage in the housing to the interior of said casing and a third conduit means connectin the interior of said casing to said other fluid transmitting passage in the housing, and valve means in said third conduit means to insure a predetermined lubricating oil rcssure and to maintain a predetermined pressure in said power transmitting unit casing.

2. In combination, an engine and a fluid operated power transmitting unit drivingly connected thereto, said fngine includ ng lube oil sump, an engine driven engine ubricating oil circulating pump connected to said sump and first conduit means connecting said pump to various portions of said engine to provide for the application offlpressurtzed lube oil to said portions of said engine, sai power transmitting unit comprising a housing directly mounted on said engine having a pair of fluid transmitting passages extending therethrough, one of said fluid transmitting passages being connected to said pump through said engine and the other of said passages being connectcd to said pump through said engine and the other of said passages being connected to said sump through said engine, a casing within said housing containing relatively rotatable. vaned, driving and driven elements, a second conduit means connecting said one fluid transmitting passage in the housing to the interior of said casing and a third conduit means connecting the interior of said casing to said other fluid transmitting passage in the housing, valve means in one of said conduit means to insure a predetermined pressure in engine lubricating oil system, ant:l restrictilon gieans in said third conduit means arrange to app y t e um dischar e ressu to the interior of said casing. p p g p re 3. In combination, an engine and a fluid operated power transmitting unit drivingly connected thereto, said engine inclpdm a rotatable crankshaft, a lube oil sump, and an engine riven engine lube oil pump connected by conduit means to said sump and to various portions of said engine, an adapter plate mounted directly on the rear end of said engmehaving a pair of oil transfer passages therein, one of said passages being connected to said pump and the other of said passages being connected to said sump, said fluid operated power transmitting unit being mounted on said adapter plate and comprising a housing having a pair of oil transfer bores extending therethrough, each of said bores being connected to one of the oil transfer passages in said adapter plate, a closed casing rotatably mounted in said housing and drivingly connected to said crankshaft, said casing containing a pair of relatively rotatable driving and driven vaned wheels, and an axially extending driven shaft iercing said casing and drivingly connected to said driven wheel, a first fluid conduit bore extending axially of said shaft connecting the interior of said casing to the oil transfer bore in said housing that is connected to the sump, and a second fluid conduit bore connecting the other oil transfer bore in said housing to the interior of said casing.

In combination, an engine and a fluid operated power transmitting unit drivingly connected thereto, said engine including a rotatable crankshaft, a lube oil sump. and an engine driven engine lube oil pump connected by conduitmeanstosaidsumpandtovariousportionsof said e 'ne, an adapter plate mounted directly on the rear e of said engine having a pair of oii transfer sages therein, one of said passages being connect to meapump and the other of saiges being co to d sump, said fluid operat power transmitting unit betn mounted on said adapter plate and comprising a ho having a air of oil transfer bores extending therethroug each said bores being connected to one of the oil transfer passages in said adapter plate, a closed casing rotatably mounted in said housing and drivingly co to said crankshaft, said casing containing a pair of relatively rotatable driving and driven vaned wheels, and an axially extending driven shaft piercinf said casing and drivingiy connected to said driven-whee a first fluid conduit bore extendgsgnaxially of said shaft connecting the interior of said g to the oil transfer bore in said housing that is connected to the sump, and a second fluid conduit bore connecting the other oil transfer bore in said bone to the interior of said casi one of said last mention fluid conduit bores inclu ing a one-way valve to maintain a pressure head in the engine lube oil system and in the oil in said casing.

in combination, an engine and a fluid operated wer transmittin unit drivingly connected thereto, said engine including a rotatable crankshaft, a lube oil sump, and an engine driven engine lube oil pump connected by conduit means to said sump and to various portions of said engine, an adagter plate mounted directly on the rear end of said e ine aving a pair of oil transfer passages therein, one 0 said dges being connected to said pump and the other 0 sai passages being connected to said sump, said fluid operated wer transmitting unit being mounted on said adapter p te and comprising a housing having a pair of oil transfer bores extending therethrough, eachofsaidboresbeing connectedtoone oftheoiltransfer passages in said adapter plate, a closed casing rotatably mounted in said housing and gly connected to said crankshaft, said casing containin a pair of relatively rotatable driving and driven van wheels, and an axially driven shaft piercing said casing and drivingly connected to said driven wheel, a flrst fluid conduit bore extending axially of said shaft connecting the interiorofsaidcasingtotheoiltransferboreinsaidhousing that is connected to the sump, and a second fluid conduitboretheotheroiltransferboreinlaid housing to the interior of said casing, said first fluid conduit. bore in said shaft having a restriction orifice therein to maintain a pressurized engine lube oil system and a pressurized casing during engine operation.

6. In combination, an engine and a fluid operated power transmitting unit drivingly connected thereto, said engine including a rotatable crankshaft, a lube oil sump. and an engine driven engine lube oil pump connected by conduit means to said sump and to various portions of said engine, an adapter plate mounted directly on the rev end of said engine having a pair of oil transfer passaps therein, one of said bein connected to said pig: and the other of said passages ing connected to sump, said fluid operated fitwer transmitting unit being mounted on said adapter p te and comprising a housing having a pair of oil transfer bores extending therethrough, each of said bores being connected to one of the oil transfer passages in said adapter plate, a closed casing rotatably mounted in said housing and drivingly connected to said aft, said casing containing a pair of relatively rotatable driving and driven vaned wheels, and an axially extendin driven shaft piercing said and drivingly connect to said driven wheel, a first flu conduit bore extending axially of said shaft connecting the interior of said casing to the oil transfer bore in said housing that is connected to the sump, and a second fluid conduit bore connecting the other oil transfer bore in said housing to the interior of said casing, one of said last mentioned fluid conduit bores including a onevalve to insure a pressurized lube oil system and first fluid conduit bore in said shaft havin a restriction orifice therein insure pressurized fluid in said casing durh engine operation.

lefcrellcllcifetlintheflieofthispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

